lot

1the lot,the whole lot[singular + singular or plural verb](informal)the whole number or amount of people or thingsHe's bought a new PC, colour printer, scanner—the lot.Get out of my house, the lot of you!That's the lot!(= that includes everything)That's your lot!(= that's all you're getting)

group/set

2[countable + singular or plural verb](especially British English)a group or set of people or thingsThe first lot of visitors has/have arrived.I have several lots of essays to mark this weekend.(informal)What do you lot want?

items to be sold

3[countable]an item or a number of items to be sold, especially at an auctionLot 46: six chairsSee related entries:The art world

area of land

4[countable]an area of land used for a particular purposea parking lota vacant lot (= one available to be built on or used for something)(especially North American English)We're going to build a house on this lot.SynonymslandlotgroundspaceplotThese words all mean an area of land that is used for a particular purpose.land an area of ground, especially one that is used for a particular purpose:agricultural landlot(North American English) a piece of land that is used or intended for a particular purpose:building lotsa parking lotground an area of land that is used for a particular purpose :The kids were playing on waste ground near the school.the site of an ancient burial groundland, lot or ground?Land is used for large areas of open land in the country, especially when it is used for farming. A lot is often a smaller piece of land in a town or city, especially one intended for building or parking on. Ground is any area of open land; a ground is an area of land designed or used for a particular purpose or activity.space a large area of land that has no buildings on it:The city has plenty of open space.the wide open spaces of the Canadian prairiesplot a small piece of land used or intended for a particular purpose:She bought a small plot of land to build a house.a vegetable plotlot or plot? Either a lot or a plot can be used for building on. Only a plot can also be used for growing vegetables or burying people.Patterns an open spaceopen/​empty/​vacant/​waste/​derelict land/​ground a/​an empty/​vacant lot/​plot

luck/situation

5[singular]a person’s luck or situation in lifesynonymdestinyShe was feeling dissatisfied with her lot.

Word OriginOld Englishhlot (noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutchlot, GermanLos. The original meaning was ‘by lot’ and (by extension) the sense ‘a portion assigned to someone’; this gave rise to the other noun senses. The pronoun and adverb uses date from the early 19th cent.Extra examplesI had an awful lot of work to do.I’ve got an awful lot of work to do before I go on holiday.Our house is built on a lot that’s somewhat below street level.She bought the whole lot.There’s not a whole lot of difference between them.a hell of a lot of moneyabandoned lots converted into baseball fieldsthe market for homes on smaller lotsBuilding lots will cost between $100 000 and $500 000.He backed the car into the parking lot.He threw in his lot with the pirates.It fell to her lot to organize the Christmas party.Shall I put this lot with the others?She was feeling very dissatisfied with her lot.Some kids were playing ball in a vacant lot.The first lot of visitors has/​have arrived.Idioms